Most Wanted, Part Four
Tyrants Issue 15, "Most Wanted." (Part Four.) 'Front cover- '''the reader gets a close-up of Grapplor's face, as four of his energy tendrils rear up over his head and point at the reader. One is made of pure light, another shadow, another of purple kinetic energy and another of fire. The issue opens showing Grapplor from behind, as his hospital gown droops down, and from the gap in the back, from mid-way up his spine, sprouts the ten tendrils of energy, which are currently made of writhing shadow. The area of skin which the tendrils emanate from is not broken, they just seem to phase through it, though black veins of energy seem to ripple through the skin around the spine. The reader can also see the back of Romulus, who has moved behind Grapplor. In the background, Cross-Fire stands with legs widened and fists clenched, the cross-shaped part of his chest that is exposed glowing a soft white. "Well. Who is first?" says Grapplor. The comic cuts to his head turning slightly to look behind, as Romulus leaps. "Knew it." Four of Grapplor's energy tendrils stretch down to the ground, holding up his paralysed body, two stretching behind him to anchor him, two in front. Three flail up into the air behind him, and the other three coil around his torso. As Romulus leaps up, the three aerial tentacles pointed behind Grapplor move towards Romulus. The comic zooms in show the flesh around Grapplor's spine again, as some of the veins of black energy turn blue, though not all. Electrical energy flows up the three rear shadow-tendrils, and in the next panel, they are pure electricity. They wrap around Romulus, as he struggles as the electricity ripples through his armour. The next panel shows Grapplor from the front, as Romulus is raised up, behind him, just above his head, convulsing and screaming as his armour smokes from the electricity. In the next panel, is the same, except Romulus is not in the air anymore, and his legs and arms can be seen on the ground, smoke rising from them. Grapplor moves his head to look at his tendrils. "Not quite same as wrestling, amigo." He looks back to Cross-Fire, who blances. "But it do." The comic cuts to Rook, on the floor, his back against a brick wall, which now has a large cracking running up it. The comic then shows Viral, in electric form, floating towards him. Remus lies inert on the ground behind him. "They left me behind. I coulda got caught" he says. "Inquisitor acted upon his own initiative. He assumed you had the capabilities to get back and return to us. You did." Viral leans in. "Your right, this ain't your fault. You give me the money you owe for me risking my butt our there, and we call it quits. But first, you tell me where Quizzy is, so I can infect him, and walk him into a freakin' volcano. I heard he nearly got killed by one before, so it'd be freakin' fittin.'" "Inquisitor is currently rescuing Skyscraper. Your vendetta is pointless, as I am reassembling the team. If you look behind you, you might notice Grapplor." Viral looks back. "What, Octo-Man, over there? ''Thats ''Grapplor?" Rook picks himself up. "Precisely." "Where'd he get the cool make-over?" Rook picks the case of Surge to him. "Surge. If you turn organic, feel free to have a sample. But you might want to remove the vials and fry the case first. I believe Director Waterstone may have had the cases fitted out with trackers. With it fried, we can take the case with us, enhance your fellow agents, and continue the cause." Viral moves very close to Rook. Rook does not flinch at the closeness of the man's electrical aura. "And what ''is ''the cause?" Viral asks. "The eventual goal, saving the Earth." "Hah! Right. Thats their job", Viral thumbs over at the currently failing heroes. "It is. Unfortunately, they have this terrible weakness for following laws and codes that means they will ultimately fail. We, however, do not have such weakness." "You got codes, the no killing thing... though you seem to have waived that." "I would prefer no killing, but now we are outed, the rules need to change. Such is our advantage." "(VILLAIN!)" Last Century leaps over the wall he was tossed over, landing a few feet from Rook and Viral. He points at Rook. "(You flee like a coward. They call me Last Century. Mine is the strength of a hundred men!)" Rook cracks his neck. "(Yes, I gathered. Hence, Century.)" "(Do you mock me!!?)" he booms. "(Alas, no. Whilst you possess the strength of a hundred men, I only possess the wit and intellect of one man.)" Rook steps forward, drawing his sword. "(Though, looking at the way you dress, I feel I still win there, though my strength only equals about ten men, give or take.)" "Enough PRATTLE!" Century charges Rook. The comic cuts to Cross-Fire as he darts left and fires a beam of light. As the beam heads for Grapplor, he wraps himself in six tendrils, which turn to the same light, and he absorbs the beam as it hits. "You are powerful" says Cross-Fire, in English. "You are losing" says Grapplor. "You do not have to do this. You are not responsible for the destruction here. I will vouch for your innocence in this and have you given leniency if you stand down." "Why stand down, when advantage mine?" Grapplor's tendrils to turn to smoky darkness, and head for Crossfire. The tendrils wrap around Cross-Fire's head, but he blasts the ends of the tendril's away to nothingness, though collapses to one knee after. "Mercy was given. If you do not take its hand, then God so help you." Cross-Fire fires another beam. The comic cuts to Javelin flying through the air with Texas Holdem, Vatican City now tiny in the distance behind them. Texas's weary eyes open, Javelin looks down at him. "(Wow, fifth time. You are persistant. Have to fly even ''faster ''then. Keep you unconcious.)" BOOOOOOOOOOM. He passes out again, as she flies off, a tiny speck in the distance. Last Century dusts off his hands. "(Strength of ten men. Pah!)" In the background, Rook is lodged half-way through a wall, legs hanging limp. He then walks to Viral. "(You! Friend or foe!)" "NO SPEAKO DE ITALIANO!" Viral responds. "(You DARE mock me! Did you see what I just DID to your friend?)" "Okay, you're angry, I get that. But, since you didn't see me trash your robo-dog there, you can't really me hitting me cos you don't know who I am." "(What are you saying? Who...)" he looks in the background, and sees the fallen Romulus. He picks up the case of Surge. "(You are lucky I have other matters!)" He leaps right above Grapplor. Viral watches him go. "Seriously dude... watch the volume." He looks around. "Hokay, so no Quizzy. Rook knows where he is, and if I save his butt and get his precious drug, he'll likely still take me with him, and I can get that bearded blind bastard in his sleep some time." He watches as Last Century falls towards Grapplor, whilst Grapplor again soaks another beam of light with his tendrils. "Which means I get to tangle with the loud jerk. Fun!" Then he looks back Rook. "Oooooh fun idea..." He floats over to Rook. "You get me onside for a little, Rooky, but I still owe you a ''little ''bit of payback just for making me with work with that jerk Quizzy. Gonna borrow you for a little bit, you cool?" There is of course no response. "Cool." His electrical hands are placed on Rook's mask in one panel. In the next, they start to phase through. Viral then flies upwards. "What the hell?" Rook stands up. "Sorry, taken", he says, then he marches towards Last Century. "Would be a darling, and mind possesing something vehicular to get us out of here, please. I'll just get that Surge, rescue that ''stylish ''Mexican and maybe kill a hero or two whilst you sort the get-away. Thanks a bunch!" Rook strides further, whilst Last Century drops onto Grapplor's back. The comic focusses on Century and Grapplor, as Last Century tears his way through the tendrils, locks his legs around his shoulders, and grabs each side of Grapplor's head in his huge hands. Grapplor tips forward, as his head strikes the pavement. "Now excuse me, sir, but ''that ''is just rude", calls Rook. Last Century turns around. "(You again. Cross-Fire, blast him!)" "(If he is walking again after you dealt with him, that may be futile.)" "(Do it anyway!)" Rook walks into the oncoming energy blast. "Ohhhh, that tickles." "(He's not going down!)" says Cross-Fire. "(I see that!)" Last Century responds. Rook has his sword out. "You know what this sword is made of? Brillian. I might not have the strength of a hundred men, but I am nontheless strong enough that I require a blade that doesn't shatter every time I swing it against something. Lets see what it does to you. And oh look, a big obvious fleshy target!" Rook makes a two handed swing against the exposed chest of Last Century. The end of the blade sinks into the chest, though not deeply, but still, draws blood. "You see, I think even a hundred guys are still pretty, you know... reticient to being stabbed." Last Century drops the case of Surge in pain. Green liquid drips down the sides of it. "Well damn, look what you made me make you d-." Rook is blasted by a beam of white energy and flung away from Last Century, his sword still imbedded in the shocked hero's chest. "(You make a mistake.)" Last Century steps towards Rook. "There is a ''sword ''in your ''chest. Wait, no. Thats not that amazing to me. Carry on." Last Century pulls the sword from his chest. And swings it. "Wait you aren't allowed t-" the flat of the sword smacks into his face. Rook falls unconscious again. Last Century looks at the sword in amazement. "(Hm. It didn't break?)" He looks to Cross-Fire. "(You think Romulus will let me keep this?)" Cross-Fire, meanwhile, is looking ahead and pointing. "(Look out, you idiot!) Century turns, as the bus hits him head on. The front of the bus crumples as it folds around Last Century. The momentum of the bus carries on, into the explosion-made ditch in the road behind the heroes. Viral forms out of the bus, into the driver's seat, remaining in electrical form. "Strength of a hundred men? Strength of a bus! Over-ruled! Hah." The comic cuts to Javelin, flying down with the unconscious Texas Holdem as she steps through some automatic doors into a large foyer. GSPD security staff approach her. "I need some power nullifier cuffs, NO-" Circles of energy fly from the seemingly unconscious Holdem's hands, as he lifts his head, and opens his eyes. "Since you stopped movin' so fast, ah took the liberty of becomin' conscious. Hope you don't mind." He lifts up Javelin's arm, turning to face her. She remains in the same position as before. "You lucky ah things ta do..." He puts two fingers to his chin. "Then again, ah do got ''all ''the time in the world." He lifts up his sniper rifle, pointing it directly at her face. "Then again, had it not been for that Surge that got all on me, I'd still be out, and you'da got me." He sweeps his hat in a bow. "And I ain't no cheater." He disappears. He appears right outside the wrecked bus, standing over the unconscious Rook. "You know what boss, ah think your new approach to life done and made me sahft." He then notices the bus, and Viral. "You came back? And you didn't hit Rook wi' that bus. Man, ah think we all goin' sahft." Then he notices Cross-Fire. Holdem sweeps his hat. "You las' man standin' boy, whatcha gonna do?" "My duty. Firstly, I remove your gettaway." VASSSSSSSSSH. Texas Holdem leaps out the way of the energy beam, though one half of his coat is burned away. He tosses the remains of the coat to the ground, showing his white shirt and breeches. "Well boy, looks like you gone and done made the wrong choice." Viral flies out of the bus and phases into Cross-Fire. His eyes crackles briefly with electricity. Holdem picks up Rook, with a large heft, as the man is rather large, and he is not so strong as Cross-Fire appears to be. "Shall we?" Viral looks around at the destruction. "Yeah, I think we just out-stayed our welcome." End of issue.